Published: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 12:15 p.m.

A Duncan police officer responding to a disturbance Tuesday fatally shot a woman who authorities say got behind the wheel of his patrol car and put it in gear.

Duncan Police Chief Ryan Cothran said the officer responded around 10:20 a.m. to a disturbance call from Value Place hotel, which is near Interstate 85 and Highway 290. Cothran said the officer was attempting to speak with a man who then fled on foot. When the officer turned to get into his car, the woman was inside the vehicle and began backing up, the chief said.

Cothran said the officer “took action.”

The chief said it was not immediately clear what the disturbance was about. The man who fled, later identified as John Allen Rockwood, 27, of 110 Current Dr., Greenville, is facing several charges in connection to the incident.

Captain C.E. Long wrote in an email that Duncan Police Department charged Rockwood with failure to stop. Pending charges include two counts each of carjacking and car breaking, as well as one count of possession of a stolen vehicle. Rockwood was jailed Tuesday afternoon.

Cothran said the officer, whose name was not immediately released, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division, which is common practice in such shootings.

The name of the woman had not been released by the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

After the shooting, dozens of law enforcement officers descended on the scene, which is near an area full of businesses and restaurants.

Travis Knight saw an officer chase a man, ordering him to get down. The incident unfolded near Sisk Scrap Iron and Metal, the business Knight co-owns with his brothers.

Mitch Holcombe said he heard shouting over the crane he was operating at the business.

At first, the men thought the commotion could be children playing.

“Then, when I heard the, 'Get on the ground, get on the ground,' I'm like that don't sound like playing, and then right after that, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,” Knight said.

Holcombe said he went to the office when he heard the shots.

The men said a foot chase ensued after the gunfire. Knight said the man ran toward Highway 290, trying to get into a customer's vehicle.

“He actually (came) to the driver's door and tried to open it as he was exiting the business,” Knight said.

Brett Johnson and his wife, Bambi, were driving to an appointment when they came upon the incident.

“Bambi said, 'The police (officer) is standing there trying to get her to get out of the car and she won't get out.' And about that time, she took off across the road…” Brett Johnson said.

Brett Johnson said the officer opened fire about a foot or two from where the car was parked in a field early Tuesday afternoon.

Moments later, Brett Johnson said the fleeing man held up his hands in an apparent attempt to get the couple to stop.

“I said, 'Go on, hit him.' And (Bambi) locked the doors and she said he tried to open the back door,” Brett Johnson said.

Deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office also responded to the call.

SLED spokesman Thom Berry said a crime scene unit and several regional agents responded to the scene.

Berry said the length of the SLED investigation would depend on the complexity of the case and amount of lab work that needs to be done. The results will be turned over to the Seventh Circuit Solicitor's Office for review.

“We will work as expeditiously as possible, but we also want to know the investigation was done right,” Berry said.

This is the 10th officer involved shooting in South Carolina – and second in Spartanburg County – in 2014, according to SLED records. There were 42 officer involved shootings in 2013, and 44 in 2012.

<p>A Duncan police officer responding to a disturbance Tuesday fatally shot a woman who authorities say got behind the wheel of his patrol car and put it in gear.</p><p>Duncan Police Chief Ryan Cothran said the officer responded around 10:20 a.m. to a disturbance call from Value Place hotel, which is near Interstate 85 and Highway 290. Cothran said the officer was attempting to speak with a man who then fled on foot. When the officer turned to get into his car, the woman was inside the vehicle and began backing up, the chief said.</p><p>Cothran said the officer “took action.”</p><p>The chief said it was not immediately clear what the disturbance was about. The man who fled, later identified as John Allen Rockwood, 27, of 110 Current Dr., Greenville, is facing several charges in connection to the incident.</p><p>Captain C.E. Long wrote in an email that Duncan Police Department charged Rockwood with failure to stop. Pending charges include two counts each of carjacking and car breaking, as well as one count of possession of a stolen vehicle. Rockwood was jailed Tuesday afternoon.</p><p>Cothran said the officer, whose name was not immediately released, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division, which is common practice in such shootings.</p><p>The name of the woman had not been released by the Spartanburg County Coroner's Office as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.</p><p>After the shooting, dozens of law enforcement officers descended on the scene, which is near an area full of businesses and restaurants.</p><p>Travis Knight saw an officer chase a man, ordering him to get down. The incident unfolded near Sisk Scrap Iron and Metal, the business Knight co-owns with his brothers.</p><p>Mitch Holcombe said he heard shouting over the crane he was operating at the business.</p><p>At first, the men thought the commotion could be children playing.</p><p>“Then, when I heard the, 'Get on the ground, get on the ground,' I'm like that don't sound like playing, and then right after that, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,” Knight said.</p><p>Holcombe said he went to the office when he heard the shots.</p><p>The men said a foot chase ensued after the gunfire. Knight said the man ran toward Highway 290, trying to get into a customer's vehicle.</p><p>“He actually (came) to the driver's door and tried to open it as he was exiting the business,” Knight said.</p><p>Brett Johnson and his wife, Bambi, were driving to an appointment when they came upon the incident.</p><p>“Bambi said, 'The police (officer) is standing there trying to get her to get out of the car and she won't get out.' And about that time, she took off across the road…” Brett Johnson said.</p><p>Brett Johnson said the officer opened fire about a foot or two from where the car was parked in a field early Tuesday afternoon.</p><p>Moments later, Brett Johnson said the fleeing man held up his hands in an apparent attempt to get the couple to stop.</p><p>“I said, 'Go on, hit him.' And (Bambi) locked the doors and she said he tried to open the back door,” Brett Johnson said.</p><p>Deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office also responded to the call.</p><p>SLED spokesman Thom Berry said a crime scene unit and several regional agents responded to the scene.</p><p>Berry said the length of the SLED investigation would depend on the complexity of the case and amount of lab work that needs to be done. The results will be turned over to the Seventh Circuit Solicitor's Office for review.</p><p>“We will work as expeditiously as possible, but we also want to know the investigation was done right,” Berry said.</p><p>This is the 10th officer involved shooting in South Carolina – and second in Spartanburg County – in 2014, according to SLED records. There were 42 officer involved shootings in 2013, and 44 in 2012.</p><p>In Spartanburg County there were three in 2013 and one in 2012.</p><p>-Staff writer Felicia Kitzmiller contributed to this story.</p>